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“The signing of another elite individual with significant stature in the game demonstrates our ambition,” London Spirit director of cricket Mo Bobat says

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Dec-2025Dinesh Karthik has been appointed mentor and batting coach for men’s Hundred team London Spirit in what is his first support-staff role with a franchise outside the IPL.”It’s a pleasure to welcome DK to London Spirit,” Spirit director of cricket Mo Bobat said in a statement. “He is a truly original thinker in our game and his vast experience in short-format and franchise cricket will be invaluable to us. He’s also great fun to work with and brings an infectious energy and enthusiasm to everything he does.”The signing of another elite individual with significant stature in the game demonstrates our ambition, and the importance we place on ensuring that our players receive the best possible support.”Karthik, who is a prominent broadcast commentator, has played a similar role with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2025 after finishing his IPL career in 2024. He is also an active cricketer and is currently representing Sharjah Warriorz in the UAE’s ILT20. Bobat is also the team director at RCB, the reigning IPL champions.

“I can’t wait to see the squad come together and to work with some exceptional cricketers next year”Dinesh Karthik

“What an exciting time to be joining London Spirit,” Karthik said. “When I heard about the plans and the ambitions of Mo, MCC and the Tech Titans, I was really enthusiastic to join. To spend the English summer working at Lord’s is truly a dream come true. It is the ground where I made my debut for India and I played my last Test match – Lord’s is very close to my heart.”I can’t wait to see the squad come together and to work with some exceptional cricketers next year.”Spirit have not reached the title round of the five-season-old Hundred.Karthik, 40, played 18 years of international cricket in a stop-start career, turning out in 26 Tests, 94 ODIs and 60 T20Is, and has played franchise T20 cricket at the SA20 and the ILT20 apart from in the IPL.

Australia captain also pointed to how other teams have been struggling with poor starts and collapses

Vishal Dikshit11-Oct-2025

Scores of 128 for 5 and 76 for 7. There was also the 190 all out against India just before the World Cup. Australia captain Alyssa Healy brushed those collapses aside with her trademark half-a-smile and stated those scores were not a concern, but something they would like to “rectify” against India and for the rest of the World Cup.Healy also pointed to how other teams have been struggling with poor starts and collapses. India have struggled up front in their three games, South Africa were bowled out for 69, England stuttered their way to the 179 target against Bangladesh, while Australia, on their part, had recovered well from their own collapses with centuries from Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney to top the table at the time.”I mean, we’re allowed to lose games of cricket and we’re allowed to be put under pressure at times, in particular in World Cups,” Healy said a day before their India game on Sunday. “I think you’re going to be put under the pump in unfamiliar conditions, against unfamiliar sides at times. I think that’s the nature of the game, and like I’ve said all along, I really back our depth in our side and also in our squad that the 11 that we put out on the park are going to be able to get the job done for us. And we’re fortunate that it’s been a different person every time that stuck their hand up and said, ‘yep, I’ve got this, I can get us to a total or I can take the wickets to restrict the team’. I wouldn’t say it’s a worry, it’s something we’d like to rectify and I think there’s a lot of teams that are probably wanting to rectify that as well.”The low scores in this World Cup – with 300 breached just once – are down to the nature of the pitches. Guwahati and Colombo, which have hosted four games each so far, have offered purchase for the slower bowlers, some turn and grip. The moisture, because of the rain, has also not made run-scoring straightforward. Indore was among the flatter venues where Australia put on 326 against New Zealand and in the other South Africa chased down 232 in the 41st over without much trouble. Visakhapatnam, where India and Australia play on Sunday in front of a sell-out crowd, also had runs on offer for both teams, but also some help for the bowlers.Related

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“I think the wickets have still been good,” Healy said. “I think probably maybe a little bit of pressure has come into play at times and teams have got themselves into a little bit of a pickle. Obviously, Colombo was slightly different conditions than what we faced over here. So having to adapt really quickly is going to be really important. And I still remain that – obviously we’re here at a new destination, a fresh wicket, fresh outfield, fresh everything against a really good side – so we’re just going to have to pick up on that really quickly. And yeah, on the sort of collapse sort of situation, I think it’s on our top order to make the bulk of the runs and I think we can speak on that from both sides.”The varying conditions and facing oppositions they often don’t “makes this World Cup so unique” and “really challenging to win,” which makes adapting to the conditions quickly the key. Their collapses and a new ground in Visakhapatnam, where Australia have never played before, will, however, not deter Australia from going hard at the top, when Healy and Litchfield open the innings on Sunday.Phoebe Litchfield fine-tunes her reverse-hit•ICC via Getty Images

“I actually still think the powerplay plays a crucial role in this World Cup,” Healy said. “I think if you can get off to a pretty decent start, it seems to be throughout the middle overs that some sides have been managing to squeeze oppositions, but I still think if you can get off to a good start and set a platform, that’s going to be really important to putting a good total out there or chasing something down. There’s a little bit of a fine balance in that regard, but I think both of us at the top of the order are quite aggressive players, so we’re not exactly going to curb that at any point. It’s just probably making a few better decisions and taking a few smarter options, knowing and feeling the conditions out there at that moment in time, and hopefully that’ll lay the platform for what is a really dominant middle order of ours to set a big total or, like I said, chase it down.”There have been memorable India-Australia games in the last few World Cups, both T20 and ODI. It’s also been one of the fiercest rivalries in the game. Australia took down India by six wickets in the last ODI World Cup, in 2022, but in the one before that Harmanpreet Kaur had played one of the most jaw-dropping knocks in World Cup history, an unbeaten 171 in a rain-shortened game.”Yeah, I think the rivalry continues to grow,” Healy said. “I think I’ve said it previously that I feel like they’ve been a really, almost a sleeping giant in the women’s game for a long period of time. It’s probably since the WPL has come into play that they’ve realised the depth they’ve got and they’ve figured out a style of play that they want to use, especially in this format, and they’re really sticking to that, which I think has been really impressive to see. So, in their home conditions they’re obviously going to play really well and be a real threat. But as we’ve seen throughout this World Cup so far, there’s lots of teams that are pushing everybody.”

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been told to drop struggling superstar Mohamed Salah by Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney. The Reds slipped to their sixth defeat in seven Premier League games on Saturday against Nottingham Forest and sit in the bottom half of the table. Rooney feels it's now time for Liverpool to drop their talisman if they want to get back on track.

Liverpool plunged into crisis after Nottingham Forest loss

Liverpool's dismal run of form continued following the return of domestic action after the international break with a 3-0 thumping by Nottingham Forest. The result means the champions have now lost half of their 12 Premier League matches so far this season and have conceded 20 goals already in the 2025-26 campaign. Slot insisted after the match that "the solution is not that far away" but question marks are now being raised about the Dutchman's future at Anfield following a disastrous start to the defence of their title.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhy Slot should drop Salah

Rooney thinks one way for Liverpool to get back on track would be to drop Salah. The former England captain said on The Wayne Rooney Show: "If I was Slot, I'd try and make a big decision just so it has an impact on the rest of the team. Salah is not helping them defensively. I'm sure if you're one of the players who they've signed and you're on the bench and you've seen him not running – and again he's a club legend and everything he's done for the club – but if you're on the bench, then what message does that send to you? If you see one of your team-mates not running back and he's starting every game?"

Rooney was then asked if that meant Slot should drop Salah and added: "I think so. 100%. He needs to make a decision and get them compact, get them hard to beat and every player running back and working back and then obviously when they start winning games you can bring him back in and hope he is running back more, but I think that'll have an impact on the team for sure."

Liverpool legend defends Salah

Rooney is not the only former player to call on Slot to drop Salah, with former Reds Jamie Carragher and Don Hutchison also claiming it's time to bench the Egyptian. However, Liverpool legend John Barnes is adamant Salah is not the problem. He told : "If you think about the way Liverpool played before, it was for Trent [Alexander-Arnold] or the rest of the team to create for Mo. Whereas now, with players like Florian Wirtz, Ekitike, and Isak, we're playing differently. Once we get that right, we’ll be okay. We’re just going through a few teething issues, and it’s a coincidence that Mo Salah is 33; people are putting two and two together and blaming age.

"The whole team needs to get used to a new way of playing, which isn’t necessarily just going to be about shooting for Mo Salah. Mo will still be dangerous, but he's just not going to get the ball in dangerous situations as much as he did. He's not going to get the ball as quickly. We’ve now got a lot of dribblers now, and so we're not going to play as quickly as we did in the past, and so Salah can’t use his pace to run onto balls and to play one against one.

"I still think he's part of the best 11. Of course, he's not necessarily going to be the main part as he was before, but I still think he's part of his best 11 as it stands. It's just a question of integrating more. We just have to come up with a way that suits everybody, which is obviously different from what they've done over the last five, six years."

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Salah heading for AFCON

Liverpool fans will have to wait and see if Slot does decide to drop Salah after a start to the season which has brought just four Premier League goals for the 33-year-old. However, the Reds boss will have to cope without the Egypt international over the festive period as he will jet out to the Africa Cup of Nations in December with the Pharoahs. Salah is set to potentially miss games against Tottenham, Wolves, Leeds, Fulham, Arsenal and Burnley in the Premier League as well as the third round of the FA Cup. The tournament kicks off on Sunday, December 21, with the final due to take place on January 18.

A striker who Harry Maguire called “world-class” has now emerged as a key target for Manchester United, having made a fantastic start to the season.

Man Utd keen on new striker despite Sesko's improved form

There were some concerns about the way in which Benjamin Sesko started the season, given that the striker is among Man United’s most expensive signings of all-time, but the Slovenian has started to put in improved performances in recent weeks.

The 22-year-old scored United’s only goal in the disappointing 3-1 loss against Brentford, before going on to score the second in the 2-0 victory over Sunderland, finding the back of the net with a smart finish from inside the box.

Despite the uptick in Sesko’s output, however, the Red Devils remain keen on adding another striker to their ranks, with Ruben Amorim arguably a little light on options, given that Joshua Zirkzee, who scored just three Premier League goals last term, is the current back-up.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Man United have now identified Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane as a key target, although their chances of beating Tottenham Hotspur to his signature are dependent upon improving their current league standing.

United may struggle to convince Kane to move to Old Trafford, with the striker prioritising a move to a club playing in Europe and competing for regular silverware, and the 32-year-old’s emotional connection to Spurs could play a part in his decision-making.

The former Tottenham man, who joined Bayern Munich for £86m back in 2023, arguably has unfinished business in the Premier League, with Alan Shearer’s goal record within reach, although he has already established himself as one of the best strikers in top-flight history.

"World-class" Kane would be major coup for Man Utd

Man United are credited with a long-term interest in the Bayern star, and it is no surprise, given that he is England’s all-time leading goalscorer, with Maguire previously lauding the impact his teammate has made at international level.

The centre-back said: “He leads by example on and off the pitch and he’s a great person to have around the dressing room. He’s a magnificent, world-class player. He proves it year after year and his attitude to training is the reason why.”

The England captain has been a consistent top-level striker for more than a decade, but there are early signs the current campaign could be his best yet, having already bagged a whopping 18 goals in all competitions.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Bundesliga

6

11

Champions League

2

4

DFB-Pokal

1

2

DFL-Supercup

1

1

Kane would evidently be a major coup for Man United, but it is difficult to envisage a deal getting done unless there are major improvements before the 2026 summer transfer window.

Rangers are closing in on the appointment of a new manager, after face to face talks with Ibrox chiefs on Friday.

The Gers manager search has taken one twist after another with several names being thrown into the hat, from Danny Rohl to Sean Dyche, but none have been more prevalent than Steven Gerrard.

Rangers have already started making transfer plans for their new manager, with Pierce Charles expected to be the first major target in January, while there is also the risk of losing key players.

Indeed, for all the fan excitment for what the likes of Nicolas Raskin could do under a legendary midfielder like Gerrard, it appears he could be off in January even despite the departure of Russell Martin, who had found a way to stall the Belgium star’s career.

Indeed, Besiktas are planning a January approach for Raskin, in what could be one of Rangers’ most expensive sales of all time and Gerrard’s first blow after landing the job.

Gerrard "close to a total agreement" with Rangers

According to Ben Jacobs and Alex Crook, the former Premiership winner is on the verge of returning to Glasgow.

“Understand Rangers are now close to a total agreement with Steven Gerrard to return to Ibrox,” Jacobs posted on Twitter.

“Gerrard held positive face-to-face talks with chairman Andrew Cavanagh and vice-chairman Paraag Marathe in London on Thursday.”

Present at those talks would have also been Gerrard’s Wasserman agency, who represent superstars like Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde, valued at well over £100m by Transfermarkt, and Ballon d’Or candidate Denzel Dumfries.

The former Gers and Aston Villa boss had hinted in a recent interview with Rio Ferdinand that he is ready to return to management: “I’d love another go at some point. I want to change a few things and improve a few things and come back fresh, with a few different people around myself.

“I’d love another couple of challenges doing this and that’s what I’m working on in the background at the moment. A few different ideas, a few different people around me.

“Now I’m enjoying family time and doing a lot of things that I haven’t been able to do. But there’s a part of me that still feels that there’s a bit of unfinished business in terms of wanting to go in and face another couple of exciting challenges.”

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ByRoss Kilvington Oct 9, 2025

Kevin Thomson believes Gerrard will be taking the job at “a good time” if a deal can be struck for the once England captain to return to Ibrox.

“I do think it’s a good time to take the job,” the former Gers midfielder told Sky Sports. “There’s no doubt they’ve underachieved, they’ve had a couple of difficult moments in Europe as well.

“But they’ve still got a (Premier Sports Cup) semi-final coming up, the Scottish Cup’s still to come. Obviously Hearts have made a wonderful start. Celtic have made an indifferent start, albeit they’re above Rangers, so I think a new manager would think that they’ve got plenty of time.

“Only seven games played domestically, another 30-odd to go, so it’s not as if you’re coming in and it’s already a foregone conclusion that they’re not going to win the league.

“It’ll be a tough ask, no doubt, but I think if you’ve got that belief that you think you can change the squad and get more out of the current players and start to get the team winning, I think it’s an exciting job for anyone.”

A loaded Major League Baseball card takes up our Tuesday betting experience, but all eyes will be on the AL East showdown in the Bronx. 

The Orioles will look to close the small gap with the Yankees in the AL East on Tuesday night, the start of an early week series. Who has the edge? I’m breaking down each game across the MLB card, find out how to bet it below. 

Cardinals vs. Marlins Prediction and Pick

Pick: Marlins (+125)

This is a pure fade of Lance Lynn, who can’t justify being a considerable road favorite. He has an xERA that ranks in the 37th percentile according to MLBStatcast and is not generating swings and misses, 48th percentile in whiff percentage. 

He is walking batters at the highest rate since 2018 and is striking out 22% of hitters, the second lowest of his career. 

After an extra innings game Monday, I’ll grab the home underdog Marlins to keep up. 

Padres vs. Phillies Prediction and Pick

Pick: Phillies (-150)

Aaron Nola has been pitching at a high level this season, but not in his typical form. He has an ERA of 3.48, but is striking out the lowest rate of batters since his rookie season while focusing more on generating soft contact with his elite breaking ball pitches (88th percentile). 

He is strong at limiting walks (68th percentile) which sets up nicely against a Padres team that is over-reliant on getting on base via walks, and I believe the difference between these two are greater than the price indicates. 

Mariners vs. Guardians Prediction and Pick

Pick: Mariners (+100)

Both pitchers give me pause, but Triston McKenzie is due for a serious setback. 

The right hander is walking more than 12% of batters this season and has been crushed by hard contact, sixth percentile in barrel percentage. He’ll face a Mariners team that is hitting the ball well, 10th in runs scored this month. 

While Bryce Miller has struggled with limiting hard contact as well, fifth in barrel percentage, I believe his ability to limit free bases (59th percentile in walk rate), can keep Seattle in this one. 

Reds vs. Pirates Prediction and Pick

Pick: Reds (-125)

Cincinnati has a serious pitching edge on Tuesday with Nick Lodolo set to build on his strong start to the year. 

He has a 2.93 ERA while maintaining a sturdy walk rate and an above average strikeout percentage. He’ll match up against fellow lefty Bailey Falter, who has been crushed by hard contact, 28th percentile in hard-hit percentage. This is indicated in his xERA, which is far higher than his actual ERA, 4.94 vs. 3.86 with a career low strikeout rate. 

I’ll side with Cincy. 

Diamondbacks vs. Nationals Prediction and Pick

Pick: Diamondbacks (+100)

Arizona has a significant edge at the plate, third in OPS in the month of June, and should be able to offset any concerns for Slade Cecconi, who has a 6.70 ERA. To be fair, he has an xERA of 4.44, so there can be some upside for the right hander. 

I’ll bet on seeing it Tuesday.

Orioles vs. Yankees Prediction and Pick

Pick: Orioles (+125)

A measuring stick series begins in the Bronx on Tuesday with the Orioles heading to New York to face the Yankees. 

I’ll side with Baltimore on Tuesday. The team is third in OPS against left handed pitching, which sets up nicely against Yankees’ starter Nestor Cortes, and also has a quality arm in Albert Suarez on the bump. 

Suarez is pitching above expectation (1.61 ERA vs. 3.43 xERA), but he has done a fine job of allowing hard contact, which bodes well against the powerful bats of the Yanks. Suarez is in the 79th percentile in barrel percentage and 60th percentile in hard-hit percentage. 

I’ll take a shot on the road underdog.

Red Sox vs. Blue Jays Prediction and Pick

Pick: Red Sox (-115)

Chris Bassitt isn’t worth this price tag for the floundering Blue Jays, walking the most batters of his career since 2018 while posting a stat profile that shows regression is looming. He has an ERA of 3.56 with an xERA of 4.14 and isn’t generating the necessary swings and misses (20th in chase percentage). 

I’ll back Tanner Houck instead, who has been outstanding this season, walking a career low four percent and maintaining a high strikeout rate of 24% (65th percentile). 

Boston has been better in June, and I expect it to keep up on Tuesday. 

Tigers vs. Braves Prediction and Pick

Pick: Tigers (+140)

Both teams are hitting below the league average in the month of June in terms of OPS, and I can’t justify backing Spencer Schwellenbach given the small sample size of three starts. 

With a potentially lower scoring matchup, I’ll take a stab on the big underdog in Atlanta. 

Rays vs. Twins Prediction and Pick

Pick: Twins (-165)

Pablo Lopez is due for a big surge through the summer, his numbers are far better than it looks on the surface. Despite a 5.33 ERA, he has an xERA of 3.28 while walking a career low five percent of batters. 

Tampa Bay enters this matchup 22nd in OPS across the month of June, so I think this is a good time for Lopez to turn it on.

Giants vs. Cubs Prediction and Pick

Pick: Cubs (-115)

Logan Webb is due for a big setback. Despite having an ERA of 3.02, he has a ton of concerning numbers this season. 

Webb ranks in the first percentile in terms of hard-hit percentage and is in the ninth percentile in whiff percentage. He is generating no swings and misses and his xERA shows that he will slow down over the course of the season, posting a mark of 4.68. 

Bettors are paying a tax on the name brand of Webb, I’m happy to fade him. 

Mets vs. Rangers Prediction and Pick

Pick: Mets (-110)

The Mets are winners of six straight and get to follow up on its 14-2 win against the Rangers with another opportunity to win on Tuesday against a Texas team with a taxed bullpen. 

Keep riding New York in closely lined matchups. 

Astros vs. White Sox Prediction and Pick

Pick: Astros (-200)

The Astros have way too much firepower for the White Sox, who are 24th in OPS against left handed pitching. 

While Framber Valdez is coming off arguably his worst start of the year, four innings pitched with five earned runs, I will trust him to bounce back against a lackluster White Sox team.

Dodgers vs. Rockies Prediction and Pick

Pick: Dodgers (-180)

The Dodgers are the best hitting team against left handed pitching this season, which sets up nicely for a Tuesday night matchup at hitter friendly Coors Field in Colorado with the Rockies set to start Austin Gomber. 

Gomber is off three dismal starts in June, posting an ERA of 12.27 in 11 innings pitched

Even with Mookie Betts on the IL, the Dodgers should have little issue on Tuesday.

Brewers vs. Angels Prediction and Pick

Pick: Brewers (-140)

Angels’ starter Griffin Canning can’t be trusted to pitch up to this price tag against a quality team like the Brewers, who rate in the top five in terms of OPS. 

Canning is striking out15% of batters (ninth percentile) and has been crushed by hard contact (19th percentile). Milwaukee should have little issue generating run support and tagging a bottom five bullpen in terms of ERA after Canning. 

Royals vs. Athletics Prediction and Pick

Pick: Royals (-135)

Kansas City is a playoff team, full stop. The team continues to be rated as one that isn’t and is always a team I’m eyeing to bet inside of -150, especially against an Athletics team that is hitting .213 in the month of June. 

Thibaut Courtois has launched a scathing attack on La Liga president Javier Tebas for censoring player protests and called the league's actions “manipulation”. The Real Madrid goalkeeper also fired back at Barcelona president Joan Laporta’s insinuations about refereeing bias ahead of a crucial run of fixtures, including Juventus and El Clasico.

• La Liga protest controversy takes centre stage

  Courtois has hit out at La Liga after players across the division staged silent protests at kick-off this past weekend, opposing the league’s plan to take Villarreal vs Barcelona to Miami on December 20. Players stood motionless as a symbolic act of resistance but broadcasters avoided showing the protests, instead cutting to aerial shots of stadiums with the message “Commitment to peace”.

  Adding fuel to the backlash, La Liga and match organisers Relevent have now officially cancelled the proposed fixture in the United States, citing a lack of preparation time and uncertainty within Spanish football. Despite its cancellation, the controversy has already left its mark fans were angered, players made their stance clear, and the debate over league decision-making intensified.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Courtois calls out Tebas and censorship

  Courtois spoke in a tense press conference ahead of Madrid’s Champions League game against Juventus and did not hold back in his accusations. 

  "La Liga does whatever it wants because it suits them,” said the Belgian. “This decision distorts the competition. Playing at home is not the same as playing away. In La Liga, playing away is very difficult, as we saw against Real Sociedad and Getafe. Villarreal away is tough. It’s not fair to change the rules mid-season without consulting us.

  “Hiding the protests and trying to change the narrative is censorship and manipulation. I don't know what surprises you. They've been doing this for a while. I've already said I've never seen a president speak the way he does… It's censorship, it's manipulation, it's serious."

  The ex-Chelsea star also contrasted La Liga’s plans with the NBA and NFL, who regularly play matches abroad: “The NBA has 82 games, and the NFL’s owners collectively approve these decisions. Here, La Liga acts unilaterally. It’s not the same."

• Laporta, referees and Courtois’ sharp reply

  The debate escalated further when the goalkeeper directly responded to comments made by Barcelona president Laporta. After Barca’s win over Girona, Laporta hinted at unfair refereeing by referencing a “white hand” influencing decisions. He claimed their coach Hansi Flick had been unfairly suspended and suggested external forces were favouring Madrid.

  “Are you talking about a white hand? If there isn’t one, it looks very similar. Our coach won’t be there for the next match, although the club is going to appeal Hansi Flick’s suspension,” said the Barca president.

  Courtois responded firmly to Laporta’s claims, pointing out that such comments were linked to the ongoing Negreira refereeing scandal surrounding Barcelona.

  "[Laporta] says that because he has to, because of the Negreira case. I've never noticed that at Madrid, quite the opposite. I don't feel like they've benefited us at any point," he said. 

  The tension between both clubs adds yet another layer to an already hostile atmosphere ahead of El Clasico. Laporta’s remarks were made during Barcelona’s General Assembly, increasing political pressure within the club and casting refereeing narratives into the spotlight.

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  What this means ahead of Juventus and El Clasico

  The 33-year-old is preparing for his 300th appearance for Los Blancos when they host Juve in the Champions League. A win would help them maintain control of their European campaign and boost morale ahead of El Clasico. Key returns such as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ferland Mendy are expected, but doubts remain over Dani Carvajal and Dean Huijsen, who are racing against time for fitness.

  El Clasico remains the real focus for Madrid. Barcelona are just two points behind and have regained form after a 6-1 Champions League win over Olympiacos. A defeat for Madrid could see their lead at the top disappear, placing extra pressure on Xabi Alonso’s squad management during a demanding week.

  Beyond injuries, Alonso will emphasise composure amid rising political noise surrounding referees and league decisions. Madrid edged past Getafe 1-0 in their last game, aware that even minor lapses could prove costly in a title race this tight. With tensions rising between club presidents and players now speaking publicly, El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu promises more than just football it’s a battle on and off the pitch.

Barcelona have revealed a Clasico kit with an Ed Sheeran logo ahead of their La Liga clash with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Catalans have done it again, and this time, they’ve called in one of the biggest names in pop to headline El Clasico as they unveiled their latest show-stopping kit for their trip to the Spanish capital: an emblazoned jersey with none other than Sheeran’s “Play” album logo.

Barca rock the music world as Ed Sheeran takes centre stage

In what’s become an unmissable pre-Clasico tradition, Barca’s ongoing partnership with Spotify has produced another jaw-dropping shirt design, and Sheeran is the latest megastar to take centre stage. Following in the footsteps of Drake, Rosalía, The Rolling Stones, and Karol G, the British singer-songwriter has now become the first male solo pop artist ever to appear on the Barcelona jersey. The special edition shirt will make its first appearance on October 19, when Barca’s women’s side face Granada, before stealing the global spotlight on October 26, when Hansi Flick’s men take on their fiercest rivals at the Santiago Bernabeu.

AdvertisementGoal ARSheeran fascinated with the Barcelona collaboration

For Sheeran, who’s long worn his love of football on his sleeve, the collaboration marks a personal milestone. Speaking after the reveal, the Grammy-winning musician couldn’t hide his delight: "Seeing my new album, Play, on the Barça shirt is one of those moments I can hardly believe. I’ve loved football my whole life, so bringing my music to such an iconic stage and sharing it with fans everywhere means a lot to me.”

It’s not the first time Sheeran has mixed music with football. The Suffolk-born singer sponsors his local club, Ipswich Town, but even that can’t compare to the global roar that accompanies an El Clasico. This time, his logo won’t just be heard, it’ll be seen by hundreds of millions when the world tunes in for football’s fiercest rivalry. 

Inside the Barça dressing room, Sheeran’s music already has a strong following. Robert Lewandowski, the club’s star striker, revealed that the singer’s tracks often blast through the speakers before big games. 

“Ed’s songs have been part of our dressing-room playlist for a long time, so seeing his new album on our shirt for El Clásico is really special," he said. "Music and football unite fans in powerful ways, and I’m proud to represent that connection on the pitch.” 

The club confirmed that exclusive collector’s editions of the Sheeran x Barça kit will go on sale from October 15 at official Barca Stores. Given the global hysteria surrounding previous artist collaborations, these shirts are expected to sell out in record time.

A new beat in the world’s biggest rivalry

Founded in 1899 and 1902 respectively, the two clubs first clashed over a century ago during the Copa de la Coronacion. Since then, El Clasico has evolved into a cultural and political battleground, a clash of philosophies, pride, and identity. Over the decades, tensions have flared over player signings, refereeing controversies, and league dominance. Icons from Laszlo Kubala and Luis Suarez to Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas have shaped the rivalry’s history. Today, the statistics are as close as ever, with Real Madrid edging out the Blaugrana with 105 wins to 103 victories. With margins this tight, every encounter carries seismic weight, and adding Sheeran’s global brand to the mix only cranks the intensity higher.

If Real Madrid fans thought the first two decades of the millennium had been difficult due to the emergence of a certain Lionel Messi, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona have made sure to turn it into a full-blown nightmare. Under Flick in 2024-25, Barcelona have played with a ruthless, attacking edge, netting 16 goals against Madrid across those four games. No team in history has ever punished Los Blancos so brutally in a single season, smashing the previous record of 13 goals set in 2011/12. The domination reached its crescendo in Saudi Arabia, where Barca lifted the Spanish Super Cup with a 5-2 demolition despite being reduced to ten men for over half an hour.

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koooraYamal’s timely return boosts Flick’s men

As Barca gear up for another titanic showdown at the Bernabeu, they’ve received a crucial boost: Lamine Yamal is back. The 18-year-old sensation, hailed by Zinedine Zidane himself as one of the most exciting talents in world football, has returned to training after recovering from a groin injury. With Barcelona currently two points behind Real Madrid after eight La Liga rounds, the Bernabeu clash could define their season, and Yamal’s dazzling creativity may be the difference-maker.

Arne Slot has been a revelation at Liverpool, bucking the trend of managers falling by the wayside in the Premier League after replacing coaches with long legacies.

Indeed, most thought Feyenoord’s coach would struggle to impress when replacing Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, but he took the reins and led Liverpool to the Premier League title in his first season, so confidently beating off competition.

Swiftly turning doubters into believers, just like the head coach before him, Slot has the minerals to lead this ambitious Liverpool project for many years to come.

Liverpool have now restructured themselves into a global force to be reckoned with, smashing the British spending record this summer, but Klopp built the foundations that Slot’s squad walk on, paving the Dutchman’s trophy-winning success.

Klopp's Liverpool legacy

Klopp didn’t just lead Liverpool to many trophies across his time at the helm, but he took an Anfield outfit in disrepair and shaped it back into a superpower, forming one of English football’s great rivalries with Pep Guardiola and Manchester City.

Premier League

1x

19/20

Champions League

1x

18/19

FA Cup

1x

21/22

Carabao Cup

2x

21/22, 23/24

Club World Cup

1x

19/20

UEFA Super Cup

1x

19/20

Community Shield

1x

22/23

He just got it, did Klopp. The bond he formed with Liverpool was a priceless thing, adding substance to his illustrious career, lifting Premier League and Champions League trophies as Liverpool manager.

The 58-year-old also gave rise to a new level of youth quality, guiding superstars like Trent Alexander-Arnold to the fore and raising the standard of the academy as a whole.

‘Klopp’s Kids’ as they came to be known, played an instrumental role in winning the Carabao Cup during the German’s swansong, and indeed keeping the ship steady amid a wave of injury problems, helping Liverpool back into the Champions League.

Couple that with Klopp’s remarkable midfield rebuild, signing Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch, and you can see why Slot has enjoyed such success over his year on Merseyside.

Many of Liverpool’s academy talents have since moved on, but a few remain. One of whom would be Conor Bradley, who, despite his recent injury concerns, has what it takes to become a leading first-teamer over the coming years.

Slot has hit gold on Conor Bradley

Bradley, 22, burst onto the scene in the 2023/24 season, mesmerising as he soared in the injured Alexander-Arnold’s stead, hitting one goal and six assists across his half-season in the first team.

In just his second Premier League match of the season, the young right-back obliterated Chelsea, scoring a fantastic goal and setting up two more.

Hailed by Alexander-Arnold for his “absolutely phenomenal” start to life under Klopp’s wing, this academy talent looked right at home from the off, leaving no doubts in the fanbase’s collective mind that this was a player capable of dazzling in red for years to come.

While Bradley doesn’t have his right-back predecessor’s same incredible range of passing, he is an athletic freak, capable of zipping up and down the wing and contributing with assists and tackles. 58 matches into his Liverpool career, Bradley has chalked up 11 assists.

Injuries limited him to just seven starts in the Premier League last season, but Bradley remains one of the most exciting up-and-comers in Slot’s squad, ranking among the top 3% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 5% for progressive carries, the top 13% for ball recoveries and the top 6% for goal-creating actions per 90, data courtesy of FBref.

Described as a “really special talent” by Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill, Bradley has already become a staple for his nation, proving his dynamism by often playing in a more advanced role.

With Jeremie Frimpong having ostensibly replaced Trent in the transfer market this summer and Szoboszlai playing like a man possessed as a makeshift right-back at the moment, Bradley has his work cut out in nailing down a regular starting berth, but he certainly has the potential to do so.

In fact, given the trajectory his career has taken already, Bradley might even be assured of his chances of becoming an even bigger fish in the Liverpool pond, having seen his market value skyrocket since Klopp left.

According to Transfermarkt, the defender’s estimated price tag has actually doubled over the past year, going from £13m to £26m.

Comparatively, this 100% rise is still a rather meagre amount, especially when comparing the player’s value against the most prominent members of Slot’s squad.

But he’s already pieced together too impressive a showreel to be considered anything other than one of the biggest talents in Liverpool’s ranks right now, with his goal against Chelsea the statement.

And, of course, how could we forget that tackle on Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe in the Champions League last year? Technical ability? Check. But passion? Well, he has that in droves.

If Bradley can work his way toward full fitness over the coming weeks and months, Liverpool will unlock another dimension to their backline, reinforcing the defensive structure (and covering the likes of Ibrahima Konate, who has had an up-and-down start to the term).

Then the talent’s value would only grow and grow some more, which is exciting to think about for those of a Reds persuasion. We have only had a taste of this academy gem’s potential.

Forget Leoni: Liverpool already have a Guehi upgrade in Slot's "monster"

Liverpool missed out on Guehi, one of their top summer transfer targets, on deadline day.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 5, 2025

خاض منتخب إسبانيا، مساء يوم الثلاثاء، مباراته في إطار التصفيات المؤهلة إلى بطولة كأس العالم نسخة 2026، وذلك ضد نظيره منتخب بلغاريا.

واستضاف ملعب “نويفو خوسيه زوريلا” مباراة منتخبي إسبانيا وبلغاريا، في خضم تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة إلى مونديال الصيف المقبل، حيث فاز اللاروخا بأربعة أهداف دون رد.

تمكن ميكيل ميرينو من تسجيل هدف أول لصالح منتخب إسبانيا، في الدقيقة 35 من عمر الشوط الأول.

ونجح ميرينو في تسجيل الهدف الثاني له ولصالح كتيبة لويس دي لا فوينتي، إسبانيا، في الدقيقة 57 من عمر المباراة، ليعزز تفوق أصحاب الأرض.

واستفادت إسبانيا من النيران الصديقة بعدما اهتزت شباك بلغاريا بهدف عكسي من لاعبها، آتاناس تشيرنيف في الدقيقة 79.

وفي الدقيقة 91، تحصلت إسبانيا على ضربة جزاء نفذها اللاعب ميكيل أويارزابال وحولها بنجاح إلى هدف رابع، لتقترب إسبانيا من المونديال.

بتلك النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد إسبانيا إلى 12 نقطة في صدارة المجموعة الخامسة، بينما ظل رصيد بلغاريا خاليًا من النقاط في المركز الرابع والأخير.